Born in Fresno in 1958 and reared in the foothills, Rico Oller says he built a successful building materials business out of his garage by working 16 hours a day. His company, Material Ventures, Inc, currently employs over 40 people with locations in San Andreas, Placerville, Jamestown, and Merced. Oller is an entrepreneur who lays claim to lending a helping hand many times to assist others in starting their own businesses.

Between 1996 and 2000, he served in the California Assembly, and from 2000 to 2004 in the California Senate. In 2004, he ran for Congress and lost to then-Attorney General Dan Lundgren. He ran for Congress again in 2008, but dropped out in favor of California State Sen. Tom McClintock, who was elected.

Now he wants to return to the Assembly to represent the people of the newly constituted 5th District.

During his tenure in the California Legislature, Oller was an outspoken advocate for reducing taxes, opposing “bloated budgets,” protecting private property rights, upholding the Second Amendment, and fighting against illegal immigration...